An 18-year-old man who was arrested Tuesday in a sweep of 12 of Jersey City's "most violent offenders" has been additionally charged with robbing a man at gunpoint in Union City.
JERSEY CITY -- An 18-year-old man who was arrested Tuesday in a sweep of 12 of Jersey City's "most violent offenders" has been additionally charged with robbing a man at gunpoint in Union City.
Rafael Gomez, of Summit Avenue, had already been charged with conspiracy to unlawfully possess a weapon and possession of a firearm by a minor in connection with a police investigation into ongoing violence between two rival gangs in Jersey City.
Prosecutors today additionally accused him of first-degree armed robbery in his second appearance this week in Central Judicial Processing in Jersey City.
Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Gioiella Mayer said Gomez went to a man's Union City home after expressing interest in a cell phone transaction. But during the encounter, Gomez pulled out a handgun and demanded the man hand over his backpack, Mayer said.
She said by the time police arrived minutes later, Gomez had fled the scene.
The incident happened "on or about" Monday, according to a criminal complaint.
The victim went to the Union City Police Department two days later and identified Gomez in a photo lineup as the man who robbed him, Mayer said.
When reached today, the Union City Police Department wasn't able to immediately provide information about Gomez's alleged crime.
Mayer said Gomez has one felony conviction for fourth-degree resisting arrest. A court official said Gomez has been arrested two other times, but that he has not been indicted on those charges at this time.
CJP Judge Ramy A. Eid set Gomez's bail on the armed robbery charge at $200,000, cash or bond.
Gomez was arrested Tuesday along with 11 others at the conclusion of a five-month probe into what authorities say is the ongoing violence between rival gangs in Jersey City, officials said earlier this week.
The men, all between the ages of 18 and 31, were arrested through a joint operation between the Jersey City Police Department's Street Crimes Unit, Major Case Squad, Cease Fire Unit, and Criminal Warrants Squad, as well as the Hudson County Sheriffs Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor's Gang Unit, New Jersey State Police, and the United States Marshals.
Brianna Williams, 20, of Jersey City also appeared today in CJP on the charge of conspiring on or about June 1, 2015 with Jamie Franklin and Laquan Clark -- two of the 12 men arrested Tuesday -- to unlawfully possess a firearm, according to a criminal complaint against her.
Her bail was set at $75,000, cash only.
Jonathan Lin may be reached at jlin@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @jlin_jj. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
